Lubrication



Aug. 26, 1930. c. E, MITCHELL l 1,774,149

LUBRICATION Filed Feb. 18, 1927 CLRE/VE E /M/ T//ELL Patented Aug. 26, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLARENCE JE. MITCHELL, OF BERKELY, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T CHRYSLER CORPO- RATION, OF HIGHLAND PARK, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE LUBnIcATIoiv Application led February 18, 1927. Serial No. 169,358.

My invention relates to oiling systems for internal combust-ion engines of the type used in automotive vehicles and consists in an auxiliary oiling system designed to operate while the internal combustion engine is being started. The oil commonly used in an engine of the type described,y is fairly heavy and in cold weather, prior to the starting of the engine, is quite viscous or stiff and will not circulate freely through the engine until it has been warmed up by operating the same. It therefore follows that in lubricating systems heretofore in use, the engine runs the\ first few minutes of each successive starting, very poorly lubricated, particularly the cylinder walls or such parts lubricated by splash.

My invention remedies the aforesaid objection by providing means for supplying a light thin oil from an outside source to such poorly 4lubricated parts, illustrated by a pump driven by the starting motor or by a plunger pump operated by the starter connection. 'The lubricant in the auxiliary tank is supplied to the various frictional surfaces,

such as the cylinder walls, for a predetermined time before and during the period of starting.

MeansA have also been provided vfor supplying the lubricant to the frictional surfaces for a short time after the engine starts.

My invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following description and drawings wherein: v

Fig. 1 is a view showing a side elevation 5 of the rear portion yof aninternal combustion engine, parts being` broken away.

Fig. 2 is a part sectional view of the double acting foot operated plunger pump.

Fig. 3 is a part sectional View of a modlfied D form of foot operated plunger pump, being of the single action type.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View on line 4 4 of Fig.- l.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the nu- 5 meral 6 designatesy cylinders secured to the crankcase 7 having a water jacketed upper portionr8 and the usual form .of lcylinder head 9. T j

The crankcase 7 has bearings adapted to receive the crankshaft 10. The connecting oil 15. The oil is splashed to the pistons and cylinder walls by the revolving action of ythe connecting rods 11 but when the oil is cold, as at the starting period of the engine, it is thick and does not readily splash to the cylinder walls. It is therefore an important,

object of my invention to properly lubricate t-he engine at this starting period.

A starting motor 18 has on its shaft 20 al starting gear 22 to engage with a toothed flywheel 24 to start the engine. Keyed to the shaft 20, is a gear 26 constant-ly in mesh with another gear 28 to thereby drive a suitable oil pump 30 which, while the starting motor 18 is running, will pump a light thin oil from a supply tank 32.

The oil is drawn from the tank 32 through a pipe 34 to the pump 30 and is forced through a pipe 36 to a distributor pipe 38 in communication with the pistons 12 and cylinder walls 13. The distributor pipe 38 is provided with fittings 40, one provided for each cylinder and so positioned as to be always covered by the piston.

Secured to the cylinder block as by bolts 41 is a plunger pump 42 provided with a reciprocating plunger 44 adapted to be moved in one direction by a push rod 46, the outer end of which is connected to a starter button 52 by an adjustable link 54 and a link 47. A

links 54, 47 and rod. 46 thus forcing the oil in a chamber 56 past a ball valve 58, through a passage 60 and out thru a pipe.62 to the distributor pipe 38 where itis delivered to the pistons 11 and cylinder walls 13 thru the couplings 40.

When the pump,plunger 44 reaches the left handend of the Achamber 56 and has forced-al1 thecil 'frcm the chamber to thecylinder wall the adjustable abutment 64 will engage the switch button 66 starting the motor 18 and driving the pump 30.

The thin oil is then drawn from the tank 32 and forced through the pipes 36 and 38 to the cylinder .walls 13 through the couplings 40. It will be understood that the valves 74 the starter is running the right hand end of' the oil chamber 56 will be supplied with thin oil by gravity from the tank 32 through a pipe 68, past a check valve 70, so that when the starting motor 18 stops driving the pump 30, and when the push rod 46 has been returned to its normal position by the spring 68, the pump plunger 444 will be at the eX- i treme left hand end of the chamber 56 with a spring 72 under compression. The tension of the spring 72 then forces the plunger 44 back toward the right, to its normal position against the end of the push rod 46, and in doing so it forces the oil in the right hand end of the chamber 56 past a ball valve 74 thru the pipe 62 to the distributor pipe 38 and to the pistons 12 and cylinder walls 13.

The return of the plunger 44 to the right hand end of the chamber 56 allows oil for a second operation of the pump to flow into the left hand end of the chamber from the f pipes 69 and 68 past a check valve 71. A

ball and spring 67, in the check valves 70 and 71, prevent oil from being forced back to the tank 32 by the plunger 44.

In order to maintain a definite oil pressure at the cylinder Walls and to insure operation of the starter. in case any of the system should become plugged I have made use of a pipe 77 and pressure relief valve 78 to allow oil to return to the tank 32 past a ball valve 80 when the pressure in the cylinder supply pipe 38 becomes greater' than the tension pressure of a spring 82.

It will be seen that in the above construction, the pump 30, operated by the starting motor, and the pipes 34 and 36 provide one system for supplying oil from the tank 32 t0 the distributor pipe 38, and that the plunger pump 42, pipes 62. 68 and 69, provide another system. 'lhat is, the pump 30, connections 34 and 36 may be removed and the lubricant applied to the cylinder Walls by means of the movement of the piston 44. before the starter is operated and for a short time after the starter has been disconnected. By removing the plunger pump 42, the pump 30 maybe used to supply the lubricant to the cylinder walls during the starting period. When both systems are used, as illustrated and operated by a single'control, lubricant is supplied to the cylinder walls before the starter is in operation, during its operation and fora short time after the starter has ceased to operate.

Referring now to Fig. 3, wherein a modified form of my device is shown, and in which, means have been provided for supplying the oil by a plunger operating in conjunction with the starter switch actuating mechanism. A plunger pump 91 is adapted to force oil to the cylinder walls only during the time required to start the starting motor. A chamber 94 is filled with oil from a supply pipe 86 past a check valve 88. By moving a rod 90, which corresponds to rod 46, a plunger 92 will be forced to the left in the chamber 94 thereby forcing the oil in said chamber past a one way check valve 96 to the cylinder Walls thru a pipe 84, which may be connected to pipe 38. The return of the rod 90 will allow a spring 98 to return the plunger 92 to the right hand end of the chamber 94 and said chamber Will refill from the supply pipe 86, connected to a suitable source, such as tank 32 and be ready for a second operation.

It will be obvious that various changes may be made in the arrangement, combination and construction of the various, parts of my improved device without departing from the spirit of my invention and it is my intention to cover by my claims such changes as may reasonably be included withiny the scope thereof.

What I claim is:

1. An internal combustion engine having cylinder Walls and pistons reciprocating therein, a lubricant supply, a starting motor for said engine, means for supplying lubricant to said cylinder walls before the operation of said starting motor, means for supplying lubricant to saidcylinder walls during the operation of said starting motor, and means for supplying lubricant to said cylinder walls for a short time after the operation of said starting motor.

2. An internal combustion engine having cylinder walls and pistons reciprocating therein, a lubricating system for said engine, a starting motorfor said engine, an auX- iliary lubricant supply, means for supplying lubricant from said auxiliary supply to said cylinder Walls before the operation of said starting motor. during the operation of said starting motor, and for a short time after the operation of said starting motor.

3. An internal combustion engine, having cylinder Walls and pistons reciprocating therein, a lubricating system for said engine, a starting motor for said engine, an auxiliary lubricant supply independent of the engine lubricating system, and means operative in conjunction with said starter for supplying lubricant Vfrom said auxiliary supply to said cylinder walls during the op eration of said starter. v

4. An internal combustion engine having cylinder walls and pistons reciprocating therein, a lubricating system for said engine, a starter for said engine, an auxiliary lubricant supply independent of the engine lubricating system, and means for supplying lubricant from said auxiliary supply to said cylinder Walls during the starting period of said engine.

5. An internal combustion engine having cylinder Walls and pistons reciprocating therein, an auxiliary lubricant supply, a chamber in communication With said auxiliary supply, a piston in said chamber for forcing the lubricant in said chamber to said cylinder Walls, a starter for said engine, a pump driven by said starter adapted to force lubricant from the auxiliary supply to said cylinder Walls, an operating connection for the piston in said chamber, and a connection to said first mentioned connection for operating the starter after the piston in said chamber has forced lubricant from said chamber to said cylinder Walls. v u

6. An internal combustion engine having cylinder' Walls and pistons reciprocating therein, a lubricant supply for said engine, an auxiliary lubricant supply, a starter for said engine, a' pump driven by said starter adapted to p iliary supply to said cylinder Walls, means for controlling the operation of said starter, and means for supplying lubricant to said cylinder Walls for a short time after the starter has ceased operating.

7. An internal combustion engine having cylinder Walls and pistons reciprocating therein, a lubricant supply for said engine, an auxiliary lubricant supply, -means for forcing a quantity of lubricant from said auxiliary lubricant supply to said cylinder Walls, a starter for said engine, starter controlling means associated with said first named means for starting the engine after lubricant has been supplied to said cylinder Walls, and means associated with said starter A for supplying lubricant to said cylinder walls during the starting operation.

8. An internal combustion engine having cylinder walls and pistons reciprocating therein, a starter for said engine, a lubricant supply, a chamber having itsopposite ends in communication with said lubricant sup ply, a piston reciprocating in said chamber adapted to force the lubricant from said chamber to said cylinder walls by movement in either direction` starter controlling means for moving the piston in one direction, means for moving the piston in the other direction, and means driven by said starter for forcing lubricant from said lubricant supply to said cylinder Walls during'the operation of said starter. l

CLARENCE E. MITCHELL.

a lubricating system for said engine, v

force lubricant from said aux-, 

